Where is our Will and Grace?

[Paula_56]

Will and Grace was the first sitcom to treat gay people with dignity and respect. I feel it was ground breaking and educated as well as entertained.

Last winter ABC showed the disgusting "Workin it"

Where is our Will and Grace a show or sitcom that shows a trans person just dealing with everyday issues.

[Rhonda Darling]

Paula:

I share your quest. I fear we've a considerable ways to go. I believe that Will and Grace succeeded because there are an abundance of L's, G's, and B's who are out and about and in responsible positions in Studioland, CA, and not enough T's yet. (I'd have said "TVland, CA", but that would have been too cute for the subject matter.)

Two things need to happen first. We need to be in positions within the production empires where we are accepted and seen by many as normal; reality check - it just isn't going to happen overnight. We also need to get more and more of us out and about in our communities just going about our business enough where most people can say they know one of us. We are still more of the oddity, and not commonplace. Reluctant acceptance of gays and lesbians is still taking place in many areas -- the further one goes from big cities and the cultural meccas towards the small, cloistered, and often intolerant-of-change-or-others smaller towns and rural areas, I suspect the less accepted we are. To be viable as a subject for a television show, viewers need to find us interesting, not laughable; reflective of things they've experienced, not the "OMG, look at that" reaction.

In other words, we've got a ways to go until our own Will and Grace will be there.

IMHO. Your mileage may differ.

Kind regards,

Rhonda

[alwayshave]

So I can assume by your post you did not think that Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari got it done in Bosom Buddies? BTW, tongue is firmly in cheek.

[Kate Simmons]

So I can assume by your post you did not think that Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari got it done in Bosom Buddies? BTW, tongue is firmly in cheek.Depends on your outlook I guess Hon. Evidently enough people liked Tom Hanks' role in Bosom Buddies in that they gave him a second look and he forged ahead with his career.:)

[Beverley Sims]

I am surprised there are not more Will and grace's when we consider how much the film and TV industry is run by L's, G's & B's.

[Sabrina133]

I am surprised there are not more Will and grace's when we consider how much the film and TV industry is run by L's, G's & B's.

But there is a huge increase in shows with LGBs as a main character(s) - Modern Family to name just one. The fact that LGBs are readily accepted is a direct result of favorable portrayal of those individuals in film and on TV. Until hollywood begins to show us in a favorable light, general acceptance wont likely occur.

[Jenniferathome]

How about "The New Normal"? That's mainstream as it gets. They even touched on cross dresser/trans issues where the child of a friend of the main characters liked to wear dresses.

[Stephanie47]

One of the issues related to any programming that is not mainline is the affiliates sometimes will not carry a particular show that it feels will not be received by their respective communities, i.e., advertising revenue based on viewership. I also wonder how many shows in a series can be made before the concept gets old. Maybe a miniseries on a cable network would be the extent of the interest, at least to test the waters.

[AllyCDTV]

Television will take a chance when they know there is money to be made. It is not a place for advancement of diversity and understanding. If so much was not known about the demographics of gays and how wealthy of a market segment they are, I doubt if Will and Grace would have existed. We can take to the streets all we want but until they see our wallets, television will not care. How many of us are going to make it clear that we are transgender as we throw our money around? Sadly, not enough.

[calebsmithxd]

Maybe a miniseries on a cable network would be the extent of the interest, at least to test the waters.

I think that would be the best way to start as well. If I had to pick a genre, I'd say either a sitcom with a trans character or a drama about one or a group of trans people's experiences would be the way to go.

I think it's also worth considering that it might be harder to have a TG/TS/CD "Will & Grace" because of all the different varieties of experiences that TG/TS/CD people have.

[Krista1985]

Eddie Izzards son in The Riches had gender issues. Not a leading role, but they handled it well.

Heck, Eddie Izzard himself is, in my opinion, the most visible champion of our cause. Our knight in shining armor... scratch that, knight in a lovely gown. An open transvestite with a great sense of humor, a good act and some TV land (lol) connections. Someone of his ilk could get a sitcom, even if he was a producer instead of a lead. Anyone know him? Tell him to get on it!